"Search the
scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they
which testify of me." —John 5:39
As hard as it may be for some people to imagine, there's actually a danger
of going to a "good church." The danger is relying upon the pastor to
keep one spiritual. This is how cults form. Jesus never
commanded His disciples to sit on the front row at church and listen
attentively, although there's certainly nothing wrong with doing so.
Jesus never commanded His disciples to seek the counsel of a minister when they needed advice, but again, it's not necessarily wrong
to do so.
Jesus said... SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES!!!
I wrote this article because I've
personally witnessed people's lives ruined, who were misled to make some
very bad decisions (such as to divorce) because of unscriptural
advice from a pastor, pastor's wife, or full-time Christian worker. A
pastor is still a sinful man, prone to biasness and emotional involvement.
It is foolish for anyone to make a major life's decision without consulting
the Word of God concerning the matter. I've heard numerous people
attempt to justify their divorce by quoting what some pastor or minister
told them. This is sinful. Our decisions should be based upon
our own interpretation of the Scriptures, and not what someone else thinks.
A woman told me that she divorced her husband because of advice she received
from a Jewish Rabbi. This is wrong.
Jesus said... SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES!!!
Many people expect their pastor to
maintain their spirituality. In such cases, when the pastor runs off
with the secretary, so does their Christianity. I've known many people
in my life to quit church and go back into the sinful world when their
pastor went into sin. This is the danger of a good church. Jesus
NEVER, not one time, taught His disciples to rely upon a man, or an
organization such as a church or Bible college, to keep them spiritual.
It is sad that so many people today are relying upon some religious
institution or seminary to keep them spiritual. I've preached the
Gospel of Jesus Christ to countless people in my lifetime, some who, when
confronted with the Truth of God's Word said... "I have to go back and talk
to my church elders about this."
Jesus said... SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES!!!
Even the best church in the world
can be your worse enemy if your place it above God's Word. Jesus never
placed emphasis upon the church as a means of increasing our faith.
Here is an excellent quote from the mighty evangelist and pastor, Dwight L.
Moody...
"I prayed for faith, and
thought that some day Faith would come down and strike me like
lightning. But Faith did not seem to come...
One day I read in the
tenth chapter of Romans, 'Now faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by
the Word of God.' I had closed my Bible, and prayed for Faith. I now
opened my Bible, and began to study, and Faith has been growing ever
since." —Dwight L. Moody
The great soulwinner, D.L. moody,
had learned the hard way that Faith comes from studying the Word of God.
Oh that believers today would STUDY and SEARCH the Scriptures, instead of
relying upon another human being to revive their faith and make them
spiritual. I know people who go to church, but they are only playing a
game of religion and self-righteousness. They live worldly the rest of
the week, are self-willed, and yet "Having a form of godliness, but
denying the power thereof: from such turn away" (2nd Timothy 3:5).
We are living in a time of
apostasy, when many churches are becoming eerily silent concerning the
disgusting sin of homosexuality. Abortion is now accepted in many of
our churches, while the blood of millions of innocent children still cry out
to God from the ground. We are living in a time of woeful heresy,
where pastors either teach salvation without repentance, or pervert the
meaning of "repent" to mean forsaking of one's sinful lifestyle as a
prerequisite to be saved. Both are horribly wrong. We ought to
look into the Scriptures and learn what the Bible has to say. Romans
3:19 plainly states that the purpose of God's Law is that men might "become
guilty before God." Biblical repentance is when we come to that place,
and then turn to the Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sin and salvation.
Jesus said... SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES!!!
A good church can be your worst
enemy if you neglect to live in the Bible. David said he meditated
upon the Scriptures DAY AND NIGHT (Psalm 1:2). Most professed
Christians don't spend one minute a day reading their Bible, let alone
thinking day and night about the meaning of the Scriptures, and how to apply
It to their life. Phooey on all the so-called "Christian" magazines,
books, articles, radio programs, television shows, music, interviews and
videos. And yes, even a good church can become your worst enemy if you
substitute it for the Scriptures.
Jesus said... SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES!!!
"So
then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." —Romans 10:17
